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General Schedule (GS) Payscale in California for 2025

Click any county to view locality pay tables

The General Schedule (GS) payscale is the federal government payscale used to determine the salaries of over 70% of federal civilian employees.

Under the GS payscale, an employee's base pay depends on two factors - the GS Paygrade of their job, and the Paygrade Step they have achieved (depending on seniority or performance). This base pay is then modified based on a "Locality Pay Adjustment", which adjusts the GS payscale based on cost-of-living in different areas within the United States.

California has one or more Locality Pay Adjustment areas with special locality pay adjustment rates. This page lists the locality-adjusted yearly GS pay scales for each area, with starting pay for a GS-1 broken down by county in the interactive map. For a detailed calculation of your pay as a GS employee in California, see our General Schedule Pay Calculator.

SAN JOSE-SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND, CA

The SAN JOSE-SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND, CA General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in San Francisco and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 46.34% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1$32,722$33,819$34,906$35,991$37,077$37,712$38,789$39,873$39,917$40,931
GS-2$36,793$37,668$38,887$39,917$40,365$41,552$42,739$43,925$45,112$46,299
GS-3$40,147$41,484$42,822$44,160$45,497$46,835$48,172$49,510$50,847$52,185
GS-4$45,065$46,568$48,071$49,574$51,077$52,580$54,083$55,586$57,089$58,592
GS-5$50,420$52,100$53,780$55,460$57,140$58,820$60,500$62,180$63,860$65,540
GS-6$56,205$58,078$59,951$61,824$63,697$65,571$67,444$69,317$71,190$73,063
GS-7$62,456$64,539$66,621$68,704$70,786$72,869$74,951$77,033$79,116$81,198
GS-8$69,168$71,474$73,780$76,087$78,393$80,699$83,006$85,312$87,618$89,924
GS-9$76,397$78,943$81,489$84,036$86,582$89,128$91,675$94,221$96,767$99,314
GS-10$84,129$86,933$89,737$92,541$95,345$98,149$100,953$103,757$106,560$109,364
GS-11$92,433$95,513$98,594$101,674$104,755$107,835$110,915$113,996$117,076$120,157
GS-12$110,788$114,482$118,175$121,869$125,563$129,256$132,950$136,644$140,337$144,031
GS-13$131,743$136,134$140,526$144,918$149,309$153,701$158,093$162,484$166,876$171,268
GS-14$155,679$160,869$166,058$171,247$176,436$181,626$186,815$192,004$195,200*$195,200*
GS-15$183,120$189,223$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*

The San Francisco locality pay rate also applies to Alameda, Antioch, Berkeley, Concord, Daly City, Dublin, Fairfield, Fremont, Hayward, Modesto, Monterey, Oakland, Petaluma, Richmond, Salinas, San Francisco, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Sunnyvale, Vallejo, Fort Hunter Liggett, and other cities within the region.

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LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH, CA

The LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH, CA General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 36.47% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1$30,515$31,538$32,552$33,563$34,576$35,168$36,173$37,184$37,225$38,171
GS-2$34,311$35,127$36,264$37,225$37,643$38,749$39,856$40,963$42,070$43,176
GS-3$37,439$38,687$39,934$41,181$42,429$43,676$44,923$46,171$47,418$48,665
GS-4$42,026$43,427$44,829$46,231$47,632$49,034$50,435$51,837$53,238$54,640
GS-5$47,019$48,586$50,153$51,719$53,286$54,853$56,419$57,986$59,553$61,119
GS-6$52,414$54,161$55,908$57,654$59,401$61,148$62,895$64,642$66,389$68,135
GS-7$58,244$60,186$62,128$64,070$66,012$67,954$69,896$71,838$73,780$75,722
GS-8$64,503$66,653$68,804$70,955$73,106$75,256$77,407$79,558$81,709$83,859
GS-9$71,244$73,619$75,993$78,368$80,742$83,117$85,492$87,866$90,241$92,615
GS-10$78,455$81,070$83,685$86,300$88,914$91,529$94,144$96,759$99,373$101,988
GS-11$86,199$89,071$91,944$94,817$97,689$100,562$103,435$106,307$109,180$112,053
GS-12$103,316$106,760$110,205$113,649$117,094$120,538$123,983$127,427$130,872$134,317
GS-13$122,857$126,953$131,048$135,144$139,239$143,334$147,430$151,525$155,621$159,716
GS-14$145,180$150,019$154,858$159,697$164,536$169,376$174,215$179,054$183,893$188,733
GS-15$170,769$176,461$182,153$187,845$193,538$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*

The Los Angeles locality pay rate also applies to Anaheim, Bakersfield, Barstow, Burbank, Corona, Costa Mesa, Downey, El Centro, El Monte, El Segundo, Fontana, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Glendale, Huntington Beach, Inglewood, Irvine, Lancaster, Lompoc, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Norwalk, Ontario, Orange, Oxnard, Palmdale, Pasadena, Pomona, Port Hueneme, Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto, Ridgecrest, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Buenaventura (Ventura), San Luis Obispo, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, Santa Maria, Seal Beach, Simi Valley, Temecula, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Twentynine Palms, Victorville, West Covina, Niland, Edwards, and other cities within the region.

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SAN DIEGO-CHULA VISTA-CARLSBAD, CA

The SAN DIEGO-CHULA VISTA-CARLSBAD, CA General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in San Diego and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 33.72% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1$29,900$30,903$31,896$32,887$33,879$34,460$35,444$36,435$36,475$37,401
GS-2$33,620$34,420$35,533$36,475$36,884$37,968$39,053$40,137$41,222$42,306
GS-3$36,685$37,907$39,129$40,351$41,574$42,796$44,018$45,240$46,462$47,685
GS-4$41,179$42,552$43,926$45,299$46,672$48,046$49,419$50,792$52,166$53,539
GS-5$46,072$47,607$49,142$50,677$52,212$53,747$55,283$56,818$58,353$59,888
GS-6$51,358$53,069$54,781$56,493$58,204$59,916$61,628$63,339$65,051$66,762
GS-7$57,070$58,973$60,876$62,779$64,682$66,585$68,487$70,390$72,293$74,196
GS-8$63,203$65,310$67,418$69,525$71,632$73,740$75,847$77,955$80,062$82,170
GS-9$69,809$72,135$74,462$76,789$79,115$81,442$83,769$86,096$88,422$90,749
GS-10$76,874$79,436$81,998$84,561$87,123$89,685$92,247$94,809$97,371$99,933
GS-11$84,462$87,276$90,091$92,906$95,721$98,536$101,350$104,165$106,980$109,795
GS-12$101,234$104,609$107,984$111,359$114,734$118,110$121,485$124,860$128,235$131,610
GS-13$120,381$124,394$128,407$132,420$136,433$140,446$144,459$148,472$152,485$156,498
GS-14$142,254$146,996$151,737$156,479$161,221$165,963$170,704$175,446$180,188$184,929
GS-15$167,328$172,905$178,483$184,060$189,638$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*

The San Diego locality pay rate also applies to Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside, San Diego, and other cities within the region.

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SACRAMENTO-ROSEVILLE, CA-NV

The SACRAMENTO-ROSEVILLE, CA-NV General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in Sacramento and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 29.76% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1$29,014$29,988$30,952$31,913$32,876$33,439$34,394$35,356$35,395$36,294
GS-2$32,624$33,400$34,481$35,395$35,792$36,844$37,896$38,949$40,001$41,053
GS-3$35,598$36,784$37,970$39,156$40,342$41,528$42,714$43,900$45,086$46,272
GS-4$39,960$41,292$42,625$43,957$45,290$46,623$47,955$49,288$50,621$51,953
GS-5$44,708$46,197$47,687$49,176$50,666$52,156$53,645$55,135$56,625$58,114
GS-6$49,837$51,498$53,159$54,820$56,481$58,142$59,802$61,463$63,124$64,785
GS-7$55,380$57,227$59,073$60,920$62,766$64,613$66,459$68,306$70,152$71,999
GS-8$61,331$63,376$65,421$67,466$69,511$71,556$73,601$75,646$77,691$79,736
GS-9$67,741$69,999$72,257$74,515$76,773$79,030$81,288$83,546$85,804$88,062
GS-10$74,598$77,084$79,570$82,056$84,543$87,029$89,515$92,001$94,487$96,974
GS-11$81,960$84,692$87,423$90,155$92,886$95,618$98,349$101,080$103,812$106,543
GS-12$98,236$101,511$104,786$108,062$111,337$114,612$117,887$121,162$124,437$127,712
GS-13$116,816$120,711$124,605$128,499$132,393$136,287$140,181$144,075$147,969$151,863
GS-14$138,041$142,643$147,244$151,845$156,446$161,048$165,649$170,250$174,852$179,453
GS-15$162,373$167,785$173,197$178,609$184,022$189,434$194,846$195,200*$195,200*$195,200*

The Sacramento locality pay rate also applies to Elk Grove, Marysville, Roseville, Sacramento, McClellan, and other cities within the region.

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FRESNO-MADERA-HANFORD, CA

The FRESNO-MADERA-HANFORD, CA General Schedule locality region applies to government employees who work in Fresno and surrounding areas. General Schedule employees who work within this region are paid 17.65% more than the GS base pay rates to account for local cost of living.

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1$26,307$27,189$28,063$28,935$29,808$30,318$31,184$32,056$32,091$32,907
GS-2$29,580$30,283$31,263$32,091$32,451$33,406$34,360$35,314$36,268$37,222
GS-3$32,276$33,351$34,427$35,502$36,577$37,653$38,728$39,803$40,879$41,954
GS-4$36,230$37,439$38,647$39,855$41,063$42,272$43,480$44,688$45,896$47,105
GS-5$40,535$41,886$43,236$44,587$45,938$47,288$48,639$49,989$51,340$52,691
GS-6$45,186$46,692$48,198$49,704$51,210$52,715$54,221$55,727$57,233$58,739
GS-7$50,212$51,886$53,560$55,234$56,908$58,583$60,257$61,931$63,605$65,279
GS-8$55,607$57,461$59,316$61,170$63,024$64,878$66,732$68,586$70,441$72,295
GS-9$61,419$63,466$65,513$67,561$69,608$71,655$73,702$75,749$77,796$79,843
GS-10$67,636$69,890$72,144$74,398$76,653$78,907$81,161$83,415$85,669$87,923
GS-11$74,311$76,788$79,264$81,741$84,217$86,694$89,170$91,647$94,124$96,600
GS-12$89,068$92,038$95,007$97,977$100,946$103,916$106,885$109,855$112,824$115,793
GS-13$105,914$109,445$112,976$116,506$120,037$123,568$127,098$130,629$134,160$137,691
GS-14$125,158$129,330$133,502$137,674$141,846$146,018$150,190$154,362$158,533$162,705
GS-15$147,219$152,126$157,033$161,941$166,848$171,755$176,662$181,569$186,476$191,384

The Fresno locality pay rate also applies to Clovis, Fresno, Lemoore, San Joaquin, Visalia, and other cities within the region.

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Rest of California

Any federal employees in California who do not live in an area for which a specific Locality Pay Adjustment has been set will receive the generic "Rest of the United States" locality pay adjustment of 17.06% (shown in the table below).

GS Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
GS-1$26,175$27,053$27,922$28,790$29,658$30,166$31,028$31,895$31,930$32,742
GS-2$29,431$30,131$31,106$31,930$32,289$33,238$34,187$35,137$36,086$37,035
GS-3$32,114$33,184$34,254$35,324$36,394$37,464$38,534$39,604$40,674$41,744
GS-4$36,049$37,251$38,453$39,655$40,857$42,060$43,262$44,464$45,666$46,868
GS-5$40,332$41,676$43,020$44,363$45,707$47,051$48,395$49,739$51,083$52,426
GS-6$44,959$46,458$47,956$49,454$50,953$52,451$53,949$55,448$56,946$58,445
GS-7$49,960$51,626$53,292$54,957$56,623$58,289$59,955$61,620$63,286$64,952
GS-8$55,328$57,173$59,018$60,863$62,708$64,553$66,398$68,242$70,087$71,932
GS-9$61,111$63,148$65,185$67,222$69,259$71,295$73,332$75,369$77,406$79,443
GS-10$67,297$69,539$71,782$74,025$76,268$78,511$80,754$82,997$85,240$87,482
GS-11$73,939$76,403$78,867$81,331$83,795$86,259$88,723$91,187$93,652$96,116
GS-12$88,621$91,576$94,531$97,485$100,440$103,394$106,349$109,304$112,258$115,213
GS-13$105,383$108,896$112,409$115,922$119,435$122,948$126,461$129,974$133,487$137,000
GS-14$124,531$128,682$132,833$136,984$141,135$145,286$149,436$153,587$157,738$161,889
GS-15$146,481$151,363$156,246$161,128$166,011$170,894$175,776$180,659$185,541$190,424

The Rest of U.S. locality pay rate also applies to Bridgeport, Herlong, and other cities within the region.

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* For some high-paygrade workers pay under the GS scale may be capped at $195,200, which is the SES (Senior Executive Scale)'s Level 4 pay for the current year (5 U.S.C. 5304 (g)(1)).


** This Document Provided By www.FederalPay.org - The Civil Employee's Resource **
Source: www.federalpay.org/gs/2025/california